100 SONGS is all about the singles

100 SONGS has embarked on a new chapter – celebrating 100 released songs and with big plans for 2015. Radar checked in with the record company to hear more about the singles only-project.

Miriam Bryant and Ace Wilder are two of the artists who started their journey through 100 SONGS – and for both of them it began with that first single. The record company only releases singles and focus on spreading those pieces of music to the world. This puts the search for talent right at the top of the priority list, a part of the job A&Rs Karin Antonson and Anna Kornelia Åberg know well.

What do you look for in an artist?
– 100 SONGS is song based so we always start by only listening to the song, without looking at pictures or even hearing the name of the artist. If we like the song and want to release it we talk to the artist to get to know them. We want to communicate the story of the artist but believe that the single should be first on the list to represent the project, says Antonson and Åberg.

The story of 100 SONGS began in 2012. The record company was born out of frustration – a frustration over how difficult it was to release singles in a streaming market.
– The costumers were becoming more and more song oriented. That’s why the founders Klas Lunding from Telegram and Ben Malén from Stereoscope joined forces with industry veteran and all time hit picker in Sweden; Ola Håkansson (Ten Music), and they started the world’s most modern record label. Releasing singels only, the two explain.

The 100 SONGS-concept can basically be rounded up to: getting the music to the listener, fast and in the simplest and best form.
– We know that there is so much unleashed talent and so many unreleased fantastic songs out there, and our aim is to deliver that music to your ears. 100 SONGS leans on the A&R expertise as well as the ability and curiosity of finding new routes to expose great music with our promotion team. 100 SONGS is the modern way of discovering great songs and allowing great artists to develop with the world as their playground, says Åberg.

In a time where 85 % of the population of Sweden are consuming music by streaming, she explains, the songs are more vital and singles become the ultimate way to communicate music in a compact and efficient way.
– Looks like technology have spun the wheel back to the 60’s!, Antonson exclaims.

In a sense it may be the 60s, but this is 2015, three years since the start of 100 SONGS. And guess what? They have now released 100 singels. That calls for a celebration, which also is the plan. Next week Antonson and fellow A&R Anna Kornelia Åberg are gathering a bunch of 100 SONGS artist and throwing the 100 PARTY. (Read more about the event, where Miriam Bryant, Nuoli, Nadia Nair and many more will prefom, here.) But just because they’ve fulfilled the prophecy of their name doesn’t mean they’re gonna quit – quite the opposite.
– We will continue to release singles as before – but we’ve taken 100 SONGS to a new level. We now collaborate with Warner Music Sweden, Kobalt and Blixten@Co to continue to grow in all parts of the company. We will, for example, extend our live scene a LOT during 2015.

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The 100 PARTY is presented in collaboration with Radar Magazine, Warner Music Sweden, Kobalt Music, Blixten&co and 100 SONGS. It will take place at Kägelbanan Södra Teatern, on January 27th 7pm-1am. The party starts at 7pm and is open for everyone.